Air-flow Vent With Programmable Control

ABSTRACT

Airflow vent devices which, using integrated or separate programmable circuitry, can be programmed to adjust airflow based on stored parameters such as time-of-day and day-of-week, without interaction with a remote thermostat or other means of control of a source of airflow.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of “smart-home” technology and specifically comprises a system of controlling the positioning of HVAC vents such as floor registers using programmable vent controls which store the user's input of variable parameters to control timing of vent positioning, using various means to position a vent integrated with a vent device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous types of devices for controlling airflow within a room or building, and, more closely related to the present invention, there have been patents awarded related to the central control of airflow using a combination of a programmable thermostat, remote temperature sensors and vents/registers with variable flow controlled by remote signals that communicate with a means of positioning air-flow vents.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,479 is one of several related patents that provide this functionality. A limitation of these patents however is that they require a complex and expensive central thermostat control system and do not allow for easy, fast and inexpensive retrofitting of existing airflow vents found in a typical home or office independent of a remote signaling and control system, and in most cases, changes to existing thermostats. They also, in particular U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,479, require connection to a thermostat which controls an air-flow source, whereas the present invention provides for control of an air-flow vent without need for an integrated thermostat signaling process or mechanism. This is specifically addressed in the claims below as the present invention is independent of interaction with a source of airflow, whereas prior art and specifically U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,479 include interaction (via thermostat) with a source of airflow. Other related patents require air-flow provided to a vent to be controlled by a separate thermostat, however such a thermostat or any other separate control device is not a characteristic of the present invention. In the base version of the present invention, no external sensor is required at all and vent control is based only on stored parameters input by a user or pre-programmed for said device and either stored in device circuitry or in a separate controller in communication with said vent device, or a combination of both. The present invention thus allows a user to increase or decrease airflow to a specific area by changing only the programming for said vent apparatus and leaving existing thermostats in place as is. None of the prior art integrates a vent programming ability independent of a related thermostat or integrated with an individual vent apparatus.

The present invention creates a new and unique capability by integrating a programmable vent into, for example, the size and shape of an existing household vent so that the new invention can replace an existing vent in seconds and then be quickly programmed to provide pre-set changes to air flow. Programming will allow for a vent to automatically be opened or closed at a pre-set time specified by a user or as pre-programmed into vent control circuitry. This will provide for air flow to be customized to fit considerations such as changing of room-use based on time of day (e.g. air flow for heating or cooling for a home office only during daytime, and air-flow for heating or cooling for a bedroom only at night.)

The other patent(s) noted above require centralized control units integrated into a thermostat. These control units and thermostats are not required for the present device because the circuitry and mechanism for control of the vent is either integrated into said vent apparatus itself without the need for thermostat control or other infrastructure beyond the individual registers/vents themselves, or implemented as a combination of a controllable vent and separate wireless control module. Additional control of said device may or may not be augmented by a local sensor, another distinction from other patents which require a separate thermostat which is in control of an air-flow source.

Other prior art discloses that a vent will revert to the open position in the event of power loss, however the present invention allows a user to specify whether a vent will revert to an open or closed position, or a setting in between, as well as allowing for manual override.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention creates an ability to pre-program a flow of air through an airflow vent such as vents (e.g. floor registers) found in many homes and offices with programmed data and logic that is independent of a thermostat or other external controller in contact with a source of a air-flow and which may be physically integrated with a vent. Programming for a vent is based on variables including but not limited to time-of-day, weekday vs. weekend, date, season, and/or daily intervals, and may be pre-programmed or programmed by an end-user. It can also include input from other external sources including but not limited to weather forecasts, temperature sensors and digital transmissions such as would occur over networking technology. Programming may also, for example be manually overridden for a pre-set time or changed permanently to a new setting which persists until further user-driven input. Said programming is supported by circuitry and a power source which is either built into said device or remotely connected to it either by physical means (such as wires) or wirelessly. Even when said programming unit is built into the vent register device, programming may still occur remotely such as, for example, by a TV-style remote control, a plug-in remote programming unit, and/or via an internet/network-connected programming and control device.

One embodiment of the present device may include a programming interface display built into an air vent through which programed control variables such as those described above can be entered. Once programmed, said device will vary the airflow via various potential means of vent adjustment based on parameters entered by the user. For example vent adjustment may occur via means including, but not limited to adjustment in an angle of vane structures, a sliding variation of airflow aperture, or other means. As an example of programming, for a home office, said device may be programmed to provide full air flow starting about an hour before said office will be occupied, partial air flow during middle of the day, and then no air flow from evening until next morning when said cycle could repeat. Flow parameters could be programmed to further adjust on other days (weekends and holidays, for example) as needed. Immediate override to manually or electro-mechanically adjust the vent to any desired position is also included in the present invention, although this does not create a new capability different from currently existing vents beyond an ability to adjust a vent via remote control and/or electrical/mechanical means in the context of a vent with integrated programming separate from a remote thermostat.

Other prior art creates a connection to a heating or cooling air-flow source thermostat and via the thermostat to a source of air-flow, however the present invention is distinct in that it does not require connection to an air flow source thermostat, but rather assumes that a flow of heated or cooled air to a vent is controlled by a separate thermostat which is not a part of the present invention.

Other prior art specifies two-way communication between an external control and a vent, however the present invention only optionally includes receipt of data from an optional external programming control device or optional temperate sensor, and only confirmation of data receipt may optionally be transmitted back from said vent-associated circuitry.

The present invention may include an optional override feature which provides for entered programming to be overridden for a user-specified period of time, or permanently over-ridden until further input.

While one embodiment of the present invention includes programming circuitry integrated with each vent, another embodiment could include multiple vents controlled remotely from a separate control unit, which is distinguished from prior art in that a separate control unit would not be integrated with a thermostat controlling a source of heating or cooling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. One depicts the invention configured in its basic embodiment as a programmable unit with a programming interface physically integrated with a vent/register.

FIG. Two depicts the combination of a remote control device and a programmable vent/register.

FIG. Three depicts an example flow diagram for programming of air flow variations.

The specific designs of the vent/register and control programming device in the figures is shown as an example only and the present invention could apply to any form of variable air vent or input control device Programming and/or control could occur for one device at a time or multiple devices at a time.

REFERENCE NUMBER DESCRIPTIONS

-   1. Integrated Programming Keyboard -   2. Integrated Programming Display -   3. Manual Override Open/Close Switch -   4. Vent Frame -   5. Register-type Air Control Vents -   6. Remote Programming Device and Software -   7. Remote Vent One -   8. Multiple Remote Vents

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. One shows the present invention configured in its basic form as a programmable unit with a programming interface included within a vent. All design and mechanism details shown in this and the following figures are examples only of designs that might be used. The Invention applies to all vents of customary design including, but not limited to floor registers and wall-mounted vents. In the embodiment depicted by FIG. One a remote control for programming input is not necessary since an example input screen is integrated into the depicted example vent device. In other variations of the invention, programming could also occur exclusively from a remote control device which makes the inclusion of a programming interface within a vent optional. Placement of programmable circuitry and data storage to control the device could optionally also be physically integrated in a vent or in a separate unit, or split between a vent device and a separate unit (e.g. central controller for multiple vent devices). The combination of any form of input and/or display device such as a programming keyboard (1) or its touch screen equivalent and a programming display (2) create an ability to enter parameters which interact with programmable circuitry to store and activate instructions to control vent positioning through any form of adjustment including, but not limited to, electromagnetic positioning of vanes or sliders or other air-flow control devices, mechanical control of an air-flow control device, or any other airflow adjustment means. A programmable vent can also optionally function as a non-programmed vent using manual adjustment or program override, or vent programming may be overridden by an open/close function as depicted by a control and depicted in note (3). The vent frame (4) may be of any size including sized to fit standard-size openings to facilitate retrofitting houses and buildings with existing non-programmable vents with the present invention. The frame size (4) may also be created in any shape and size to accommodate custom size needs for vent openings or new-build applications. The frame (4) may house an optional programming interface/circuitry (and optional power storage source) as well as vents and a means of controlling the vent mechanism based on signals from a programming control source (5). Power for a display, circuitry and vent motion may be provided by an integrated power source such as replaceable or rechargeable batteries or by an external power source.

FIG. Two shows one or more of said programmable vents controlled by an external non-integrated control device (6) which could be configured to provide wireless (as depicted) or wired communication with circuitry integrated in the vent device (7) to enter programming parameters. The control parameters could be stored as an integrated component of the vent device as depicted in FIG. One or stored in the control device with controlling signals transmitted to a vent on an as-needed basis. A single control device may control multiple vents, as depicted (8).

FIG. Three shows an example of programming flow to enter parameters to control a vent. In this example, potentially desired programming functions and example steps to accomplish said functions are depicted using example steps and variables

Programming may be initiated by selecting a desired action. In the depicted examples in FIG. Three, actions may include the actions in the first column including a one-time setting to adjust a vent to a particular position, setting a recurring pattern, setting a pattern based on sensor input, and or setting a temporary override. Note that these are not mutually exclusive; a user could enter recurring parameters and also enter a temporary override.

In addition to programming as exemplified in FIG. 3, pre-programmed settings may also be offered, eliminating the need for an end-user to enter parameters in all cases. Additional logic and configuration parameters such as an internal clock function may also be included as necessary and customary for programmable devices. 

Having described the invention, I claim:
 1. One or more airflow vents of controlled by programmable circuitry independent of a thermostat, that can be programmed via a display and control device into which control variables and parameters are entered for use by a vent adjustment mechanism in the vent device to adjust the degree of airflow.
 2. The invention as described in claim 1 with a programming interface and control circuitry integrated into a single vent device.
 3. The invention as described in claim 1 with a parameter input panel and control circuitry partially or completely separate from said vent device(s) to enter control and/or programming parameters for said vent devices(s).
 4. The invention as described in claim 1 with a rechargeable or replaceable power source to power adjustment of airflow and related programming and control electronics.
 5. The invention as described in claim 1 with connection to a communications network to allow remote network-connected (e.g. internet) entry of programming parameters or receipt of other data.
 6. The invention as described in claim 1 controlled by external signals from one or more remote control devices which do not interact with the source of the airflow.
 7. The invention as described in claim 1 which accepts inputs from remote sensing units for metrics such as temperature, for a specific space and specific vent or vents, by wireless, wired or other means.
 8. The invention as described in claim 1 which incorporates an integrated display to support entry of programming parameters or other data for one or more vent devices.
 9. The invention as described in claim 1 with the ability to specify whether the vent will revert to an open or closed position, or a setting between open and closed, in an event where power from batteries or an external source is interrupted or reduced. 